A blog that I post on whenever I see something that makes me want to go off on a Republican (Libertarian every once in a while) rant. I will cover stories from all over the nation and world, but I will try to cover as many stories about my home state of Michigan as I can (I'll also talk a lot about Texas, because Texas is awesome!).

Posts Tagged ‘Lawrence County’

Alright, so I just heard about this story and figured I’d give my input. This story comes out of Wampum, Pennsylvania: 11-year-old Jordan Anthony Brown (pictured on the left; photo courtesy of the Lawrence County Prison) shot and killed his dad’s pregnant fiancee at point blank range, and is now being charged as an adult. Brown allegedly shot the woman with his 20-gauge shotgun in the back of the head. He had wrapped the shotgun in a sheet to muffle the sound.

But apparently, his lawyer isn’t happy with this and wants him to be tried in juvenile court. Brown is currently being held in the Lawrence County Prison in Pennsylvania.

On Saturday, Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo charged Brown, as an adult, in the murder of 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk. Houk was 6 months pregnant. Bongivengo said that he has to be charged as an adult because Pennsylvania law doesn’t allow for criminal homicide charges to be filed against Brown in juvenile court.

Brown originally lied to police about seeing a suspicious vehicle on the property, but later, police realized that he was lying after finding multiple inconsistencies in his story. The victims 7-year-old daughter ultimately implicated Brown in the murder. Bongivengo told reporters, “She didn’t actually eyewitness the shooting. She saw him with what she believed to be a shotgun and heard a loud bang. [The gun was found in the] location we believe to be in the defendant’s bedroom.”

Jack Houk, the victim’s father, told reporters, “An 11-year-old kid — what would give him the motive to shoot someone? Maybe he was just jealous of my daughter and the baby and thought he would be overpowered.”

Brown’s attorney, David Elisco met with Brown, after which he told reporters, “I don’t think he knows what’s going on. I walked out of there thinking he was innocent. I believe Jordan did not do this and I’m looking forward to seeing the physical evidence to see if it matches with what I think happened.” Elisco also met with Christopher Brown, the boy’s father. He characterized Christopher as being “in a state of actual shock and disbelief.” When asked if the boy disliked Houk, Elisco answered, “This is a tragic, extremely tragic situation, and it’s way too early to have any substantive comment.”

Apparently jealousy was the motive. According to the victim’s brother-in-law, Jason Kraner, “He [Jordan Brown] actually told my son that he wanted to do that to her. There was an issue with jealousy.” Elisco responded to that claim, saying, “I think it’s all bull shit–there’s no animosity.”

Elisco wants Brown moved out of the county jail. He told reporters, “I don’t think anybody wants him there. … I want him to be occupied and busy and back, essentially, in school. … I wouldn’t say he’s in good spirits. He’s confused. He looks and acts like a typical 11-year-old.”

He acts like a typical boy? Are you crazy? He shot a woman at point blank range!

Lawrence County Warden Charles Adamo also wants Brown moved out of his prison. He says that his facility just can’t accommodate an 11-year-old boy. Apparently they have to keep him ultra-isolated from any adult inmates, so he can’t even have visitors, since it’d mean that he’d have to be around other adults. It’s also difficult to coordinate showers, since he has to shower alone, meaning that a whole cell block of 63 inmates must be locked down. According to Elisco, they don’t even have clothes that fit him: “They put a shirt on him; he’s swimming in it, and his pants are cuffed up about 10 times.” I find that a little hard to believe – they don’t have small clothes at all? What happens if they arrest a dwarf or midget? I feel like they must have clothes somewhere that would fit him.

Personally, I don’t care if he’s in an adult prison or not, as long as he is CHARGED as an adult. This kid knew what he was dong. It was premeditated (the sheet wrapped around the gun). We have a girl who saw everything but the actual shooting (anybody can put 2 and 2 together. Boy with shotgun + big bang + dead woman = boy killed the woman).

This freak of a kid needs to be charged with double homicide and needs to spend the rest of his life in jail.